1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for practicing sporting skills and, more particularly, to devices employing tethered balls.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many sports, in order to gain proficiency in the sport, practicing skills associated with the sport is often desirable. In sports where two or more players are involved, it is often difficult to gather two or more players for a practice session. In sports which include balls, one solution to this problem is the development of the tethered ball. When a person uses a tethered ball, the person can practice a sports skill in a solitary manner. In this respect, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to tethered balls, and the following U.S. Pat. Nos. are representative of some of those innovations: 4,324,220, 4,350,338, 5,108,107, 5,209,489, and Des. 340,267. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,220 discloses a tethered slingshot-like toy in which an elastic cord passes through the interior of a tethered ball along a diameter from one end of the ball to the other in order to attach the elastic cord to the ball. The ball used with this toy is not inflatable. The means used for attaching the tether to the ball in this device could not be used with an inflatable ball. In this respect, it would be desirable if a ball were attached to a tether in such a way that an inflatable ball can be used with the tether.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,338 discloses a football practice aid which employs a football on a non-elastic tether which is attached to an elastic support. The football is connected to the tether by using a harness that has threads that fit into the recesses of the football. The harness can easily slip out of the recesses in the football during vigorous use. Although the elasticity in the elastic support is better than no elastic members at all, it would be desirable, for more elasticity, if the tether itself were elastic. In this respect, it would be desirable if a tethered ball employed an elastic tether. Furthermore, it would be desirable if a tethered ball had a means for attaching a ball to a tether without using a harness that has portions that fit into recesses of the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,107 discloses a golf ball on a tether. The golf ball has a protuberance that projects outward from the spherical surface of the ball. The tether is attached to the protuberance. Therefore, because of the presence of the protuberance, when the tether is detached from the golf ball, the exterior surface of the golf ball will not permit the untethered ball to be used in a conventional manner. In contrast, however, it would be desirable if a tethered ball did not have a protuberance protruding from its surface when a tether is detached from the ball. This would permit the untethered ball to be used in a conventional manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,489 discloses a tethered ball which has the tether permanently connected to the ball. Clearly, this arrangement prevents the ball from being used in an untethered manner if desired. In this respect, it would be desirable if a tethered ball were not permanently connected to its tether. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 340,267 appears to disclose another tethered ball that is permanently connected to its tether. U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,312 may be of interest for its disclosure of retractable golf practice pad.
Still other features would be desirable in a tethered ball device. For example, it would be desirable if a tethered ball device included a swivel located between an elastic tether and a rigid support so that the tether will not become twisted during use of the ball. Moreover, it would be desirable if a tether were provided with an attachment means that is readily connected to and readily disconnected from a rigid support. This would permit the tethered ball device to be readily portable and carried to a variety of locations to which the tether could be attached.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use tethered ball devices, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a tethered ball apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) provides a ball attached to a tether in such a way that an inflatable ball can be used with the tether; (2) employs an elastic tether; (3) has a means for attaching a ball to a tether without using a ball harness that has portions that fit into recesses of the ball; (4) does not have a protuberance protruding from the surface of a ball when a tether is detached from the ball; (5) provides a tethered ball that is not permanently connected to its tether; (6) includes a swivel located between an elastic tether and a rigid support; (7) provides an attachment means that is readily connected to and readily disconnected from a rigid support; and (8) is readily portable and is readily carried to a variety of locations to which the tether can be attached. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique tethered ball apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.